Submarine mine



May 15, 1928. 1,670,080

7 H. B; PRATT SUBMARINE MINE Filed June 28, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 15, 1928.

H. B. PRATT SUBMARINE MINE Filed June 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LEI-n .phragm'of considerable flexibilityf inor'der to accommodate the comparatively large movements of the sliding rod. The chief object of the present invention is" to provide an improved arrangement-j for actuating the safety device or devices in which the d1a'-" phragm is not subjected to theafor'esaiding lever provided at its rocking point with Patented May 15, 1928.

MasTA-Tar EAETLEYELYT PRATT, 'oE BARROW-IN-FURNESS, ENGLAND, ssireivon: To vicizEns -LIMITED, 0E wEsTMINsTEE, ENGLAND, AIBRITISH COMPANY. I

.SUEMA IEE'MINEQ 1,

if V Application filed J un'e 28, 1 926 Serial No. 1 19,0 16, and in (arreatjBritain hi'overhlir 1:925, l i

This, invention relates to submarine mines of"the kind provided with one or; more safety devices controlled by the tension of the mooring cable. "In such mines the safety devices have been actuated by a slidlng rod which 7 passes into the flotation chamber or mine proper and is connected directly or indirectly to the mooring cable and; the con-- sequent movement of the said rod has necessit'ated the provis'ion of a watert ght 'dlalarge' movements and can thereforebe made of sufficientrigidity and strength to with-' standthe high hydrostatic pressures obtaining when the mine-during the anchoringop+ eration descends to every considerabledepth beneath the surface of the water.

According to the present invention lthe aforesaid sliding-rod is replaced by ajfrockthe aforesaid diaphragm which, therefore, partakes only of the rocking'movements of the said lever. Thi"s, lever is suitably connected to 'the mooring'cableandalso to the safety device or devices which, in the Case of a mine that isfi'red electrically when one or other of a number of horns on the exterior of thefmine is struckby a passing ve s sel, comprise a safety switch arranged in the Circuit of the battery, which circuit in-'" cludes the detonator, and a trigger or release ingdevice that normallyholds the primerof the mine at a safe distance from the" detonator and when moved into the disengaging position allows the primer todrop into the operative position in relation to the deto nator'.

' The aforesaid rockinglever ma y be held in. the inoperative position' by a delay'action' device; which L prevents the said, lever from being moved to close the switch and move the trigger to the releasing positioni'u'n'til after the lapse of'a predetermined interval of ti me from the moment of separation of the flotation chamber from thefanchor'.

This device preferably comprises a-soluble plug'd'isposed in a chamber having an open-Q ing which is normally sealed by,.a, plate of suitable material connedted by ailanyardto' thus exposes the" fully 1 Figure 4 is a view of nected bya link'b toanarm c on a c carrying ftlle s'afety switch [(1 .1 This F ble pole type and the anchofrso that In order thatthe said invention may be Figure'Qis'aniunderneath'plan of Figure l h part in section,

' Figure 3 is a section on a larger scale showing the safety switch and its associated parts, I

ona larger scale',,and a s Figure 5 is a section shewing the time re:

er'ate's the safety devices.

the aforesaid rocking lever, CisQthe-deto nator,'C is the safety this plateis stripped: and opening to the sea water: when theflotatio'n 'chamberfseparates from a Ithef'an'chor, 7 i

10o] clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described more with reference. tothe accompanying I formof the 'inven-ff leasin 'de'vice'for th'eroc'king lever that op- A is the shellof the flotation chamber, A IS the upper en-d'offthe mooring.cable,fB is switch, D is the" primer. and D is the triggerwhich normally holds the: primerin the raised-position as is,

perse, well understoodfY' f f i In the example shown the rocking lever B Y with a' ball pivot between the n of-Which the diaphragm; VB is clamped, the outer'part of this dia-1 i phragm being clamped between the two'a' provided two halves B B halvesiA A? of a spherical socketcarried; bytheshell.ofthelflotation chamber. The, innerpart of thesaidlever B which is disposed Within the flotation chamber is? con-,0

switch, as shewn i iFigure 3, is 'of the doncomplete the battery circuit as is well under stoodperse,thisaction occurring whenthe leverIB 1s rocked'in a clockwise movement, of the said lever-jinthe same di-* rection brings the'edge of the inner-garin of. this lever against-a toe (which is pivotedfat d and "thereby 'moves this trigger awayfrom the'lower end of the primer D to allow the latter to fall into the operative position withrespect the detowhenin the closed ,7; osition r 1 bridges the two fixed" contacts (1 ,0 so asto" v 100.

, r ct n illg' the mann'er hereinafter, described. Further 1051 don the trigger D;

nator Thetrigger D is xiormellyhelfl ini the {operative position by a springplungerflheelouteri arm of: the rocking lever: B: is. -iormed as a pivot. tmreeeivec-oneiend: ofi e115. "arm B? the other end of which has a slot 6* to receive a' detachable pin on aspiing- P s B s fconnection is to enable theerm 'B to' be The pu'fpose lot this pivota-l,

swung into the position shown chain lines jetoiiatorj earner; 6L? car er (Figures l and 2) infthe: [known mahneri isfnoi m'allj heltl in the". inoperative ijqositio'nz Of Whi-Ch bears against 'the lo'wer part? of sp ng p n er wand the oti far-mpresses eplfifngef'EFheld in] its outermost? by aj-solulile' plug E disposetil iii a I f I he eccesskb the solubleiplugjuntilithe-.

flotation oha'mbe i has-separated" item the closes 2m opening "6 in the "casing E 5 This metal pl a teis connected'by aflanyard 6?; to I sepia-sites from'thejanohorf- "positively held in the 1 position the anchor and is strippedof byfthe "P1111 on this lanyardwhehtheflotzit'icm'v ehamber The leve E is;

shew n" in Eiguge :5 by a shearing; pin, which is shearediby'the pull on the apio'iBfiafter the soluhle" E? become dissolved Whieh o'coiiifs after predetermined interyzil of;

"anchor and. the anohofrifig of the flotation cHaQi iBeif aftthe 'setdeptlii aite prefei z bly construcced-*in ,zrccordane'e with the specifications .v

- renfly herewith;

bei', separatesffom the dnchor: the metalheri the flotation aha-m piate e is"; sttippetlf" o'ffi as? explained above: sift? sea" W'aterf therefoie Has.- locess to'f the solhble plug'E The fiotatiomehamberis azihbred at the set depth .b'efore this. plug Hesffiis'solved and when FthiS "occurs theigullf o'iithe mooringfoableidiielltothe liuoyenoy of ttfefiotation eh'ambei causes thejshe'alrin'gg j, down agaihstyth'ej resistance ofth'el sp ringl of the phinge-r D and th'ejlever B is rocked" ifiither'nzinliei' above deser ibedfto firstfmovet the s'w i'tbh C to" the closed position and to? f then move the trigger 1 D to the" di'se'ngsg of thee-rm B permits'thi's movement" of the leve iB to take piece "The springof" the" 'pliliiger' D2 is of" such strength that 1 the event f'of 'the' flotation "chamber breaking the a1'm'= -B*Iit will returnthe--lver B to itsforiginal position so as to open the switch O and. thus render the mine safe.

it? will: hes seen. that: by; reasongofq' the: smallfimovements -Iof "thE-glQVBI'i-B-Iflt its point of connection with the flotation chamber, thed-iapfiiagm B can be made of sufficient thickness and, rigidity to' Withstand high age.

lt'i'ioiflgh" the invention has, b'ee1i fdeser ib ed evi'ces go ff ag'meo'hai ioal fn inie.

)Vhetfl doelei h andjdesi're to secureby Letters zitient ofthi'e' United States is 1111 1 tr. t isgto he unclersto ocl thatfit' can; 2115 e" conjgi ctio ywith the s'afety toi the safety devieesof an elec submarine 'ninje comprising af flo tat'ion" Chimnbei; a'iid' 2111i" anchor which holds th'e surfzioelofthe "water", the :co'mb'iiiatioiif of safety: clevicefwhioli prevents the.v charge iii flotationj' chamber "from beingQ fii ed when said mooring cable is not"i111de1ejte 1f-- ehamhef'jwithz oriel pzii t' disposedj withiii said chamber for operatiiig said s ty" device zuict' 'aiiotheif putt dispo'sedfoutside seidiefiam her: and operated upon by; said, liloo'ring cableggmdoi diaph'iregin; at the pivot; of said membef a'ditp'ted j topreventj the eritry' of" yater mto said chamber.

' 2" 11 'ajsiihrhai-ine' mine oohiprvisingh' fiecalileyatf a7 predetermined depth beneath the a' safety" vice edgpteidto preyeilft'the chztrge posed within said chamber; for operating: sa dgsaietydev w anden'other part. is dispose outsidesaid cfia mber and opei-"ated'v upon by 's'a df mooring cable; a; two-part ball on said memhe' atwo-ipa'rt' spherical, socket 0111' s'z1 1d "chamber,f sa d socket receiv ng said bjal l landie {diiiphfagm clamped between the 7 parts of said b 1 1 ahcl ibetween the ports; of

said socket;

3: In' a submafine mine 'compi'isiiig fie ie Water, the combihation''of tation chembepand anenohor which holds c'ahl; at zl predetermined depth beneath the suffhce: off the ater, the combination of;

- chamber.

4. In a submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber and an anchor which holds the flotation chamber by means of a mooring cable at a predetermined depth beneath the surface of the water, the combination of a plurality of safety devices adapted to prevent the charge in the flotation chamber from being firedwhen said mooring cable is not under tension, a member one part of which is disposed'within said chamber for operating said safety device and another part of which is disposed outside said chamber and operated upon by said mooring ca ble, a two-part ball on said member, a twopart spherical socket-on said chamber, said socket receiving said ball, and a diaphragm clamped between the parts of said ball and between the parts of said socket.

5. In a submarine mine, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 1, or a device adapted to retain the pivoted member in its inoperative position until a predetermined interval of time has elapsed after the mine has been launched. I

6. In a submarine mine, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 2, of a device adapted to retain the pivoted member in its inoperative position until a predetermined interval of time has elapsed after the mine has been launched.

7. In a submarine mine, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 1, of a plug of soluble material adapted to normally hold the pivoted member in its inoperative position, a chamber in which said plugis disposed, a plate normally covering an opening in the last-mentioned chamber, and a lanyard connecting said plate to the anchor, whereby when the flotation chamber separates from the anchor said plate will be stripped ed to allow water ,to enter said opening and gain access to said plug.

8. In a submarine mine, the combination -with the elements claimed in claim 2, of a plug of soluble material adapted to norlanyard connecting mally hold the pivoted member in its inoperative position, a chamber in which said plug isdisposed, a plate normally covering an opening in the last-mentioned chamber,

and a lanyard connecting said plate to the anchor, wherebywhen the flotation chamber separates from theanchor said plate will be stripped off to allow water to enter said opening and gain access'to said plug.

9. In a submarine mine, the combinationwith the elements claimed in claim 1, of a plug of soluble material adapted to normally hold the pivoted member in its in operative position, a chamber in which said plug is disposed, a plate normall covering an opening in the last-mentioned chamber, a said plate to the anchor, whereby when the flotation chamber separates from the anchor said plate will be strippedoif to allow water to enter said openingand'gain access to said plug, a member interposed between said pivoted member and said soluble plug, and a shearing pin holding said interposed inoperative position until sheared by the pull of the mooring cable on said pivoted member after said soluble plug has been dis-,-

solved.

member inthe i 10. In asubmarine mine, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 2, of a plug of soluble material adapted to normal ly hold the pivoted member in its inoperative position, -a chamber in which said be stripped off to allow water to entersaid opening and gain access to said plug, a member interposed between said pivoted memberand said soluble plug, and a shearing pin adapted to hold said interposed'member inI the inoperative position untilsheared by the pull of the mooring cable on said pivoted member after said soluble plug has been dis solved.

HARTLEY BLYTI-I- PRATT, v 

